Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-10-03
THE SHOW BUSINESS.
INSIDE IMPORTATION FROM A YET
FRAN SNOWMAN.

1t Has Been Good Business, but il so
no Longer Salaries Paid, Az.
srage Expenses, and Cost OF Animals
loading the Show In Half an Hour
Etc.
$50, you want to know the inside
Of the show business, do your" said
Me. Sells, last Saturday night, to a
TIMES reporter who had met him in
his professional capacity, some years
ago. swell, sir, l have heretofore
only given evasive replies, when any
one asked me about what l have al.
ways considered my private business
But will make an exception in your
case, and, on my honor as 4 Mason,
will tell you the truth"
81 have been in the show business
10 years-with my brothers. We
own this show, and have nothing to
cover up or conceal; but as We have
two shows on the road, we run one as
the Sells Bros, and the other as Bar
rett's. Mr.. Barrett, with whom YOU
are we'll acquainted, is q brother.i in.
law Of ours. We are on our way
home to Topeka, Kansas, where we
will winter. We will play at Mont,
peher, Green River, Rawlins, etc.,
and Denver; thence along the Kan,
sas Pacific home."
ayes; l think this is the best show
town between Portland and Rawlins,
in Wyoming; and it turns out an
amazing large crowd, size considered.
"The best days receipts we ever
had was in Denver, two years ago.
We took in $500. But it cost US
nearly $4,000 to play there, before we
took in a cent. The papers were
Numerous and high priced, and, with
a few little jobs of printing, must
have cost US nearly $500 You see,
we always try to patronize all the
papers. Not that they can do US as
much good as the money amounts to;
but to keep friendly all around, make
all the money we can, aud keep
some from hurting US. The next best
town was probably Seattle; our re-
ceipts there in one day were 5000
In Portland, this year, We took in
$1,000 in two days. In HALEY, to day,
we probably took in between $2l5O
and $4,000. We have not yet ascer-
tanned, but from the looks of the tents
l jud ge that will be about the amount.
Yes; we own all the side shows, and
their receipts are included, also, the
concert recei pts are guessed at. We
have no interest whatever in the
thimble,rigging or "fakes;" and only
carry them because they pay we'll for
transportation, and, in these days of
high railway rates, that is no mean
consideration.
81 suppose the show, menagerie,
tents, wagons, horses, and property of
all kinds in the show that belongs to US,
is worth about 100000 1t cost a
great deal more than that; and al
though as good as new to US, would
be second hand to others. The daily
expenses, as near as we can get a,
them, average about $1,000. In large
cities we always do we'll; but in the
country we frequently lose. However
this is to be expected; and we only
strike balances at the end of the sea
son, when the balance is always found
on the right side of the ledger.
THE COST OF ANIMALS.
Our largest elephant cost US $4,000
six years ago; the other $25OO; the
little one that draws van, $1,000. The
rhinoceros costs $4,000; the hippopot.
anus $4,000; the dromedaries $500
! each. Giralfes cost $1,000 each, and
are about the most expensive animal.
in menageries, because they don't live
long,and cannot stand frequentch ange.
of climate. Barnum has started il
the spring with three or four CRATES
and in month would have none left
We have one with our other show, ir
the South, and we have had it 81,
years; it is the only giraffe IN the
world that has proved sufficiently
hardy to travel like other animals
We can get cost at least for it, any
day. The horses cost from $3.50 t.
$500-the general run of our 2O(
drsught animals aud stations, l mean
But some, like our pure Arabians